Pattie Romano posted a blog titled  it's time to 'move on' from remembering those lost on September 11?  and pointed us to a website dedicated to remembering the 2996 victims of 9/11. If you go to the site, you will have the opportunity to honor one of the victims of that horrific day. Project 2,996 is an online initiative to get people to learn about--and remember--the victim's of 9/11.

Please take time to remember the victims and their families. We should never forget. I chose to honor:

Mari-Rae Sopper             Lieutenant (Retired), United States Navy
Age 35
Santa Barbara, Calif.
American Airlines Flight 77
Passenger

Mari-Rae Sopper was one of the passengers aboard American Airlines flight 77 which crashed in the Pentagon 7 years ago. She traveled with her cat Sammy and boarded the plane ahead of the hijackers. She was an Illinois native who in high school was honored as the outstanding senior gymnast in Illinois for 1984. She attended the University of Denver College of Law School and practiced law in the Navy JAG Corps.

At 35 years old, she had accomplished much in her life. Mari-Rae was an assistant coach and choreographer for the U.S. Naval Academy's women's gymnastics team. She served as:

• A graduate assistant at the University of Denver for one year
  
• The floor exercise coach & choreographer for the Colorado Gymnastics Institute for three years
  
• Junior Olympic gymnastics coach in Dallas for three years
  
• Gymnastics coach at DU and the Colorado Gymnastics Institute in Aurora

On August 10, 2001, UC-Santa Barbara announced their women’s gymnastics program was being terminated. Four days later the school announced that the program was reinstated in order to allow incoming student athletes and returning student athletes an opportunity to transfer and retain the ability to compete this year. It was made clear that the reprieve would be for one season only.

After practicing law for five years, Mari-Rae was on her way to start a new job as the head women's gymnastic coach at UCSB. Mari-Rae accepted the position of head coach of the gymnastics program on August 31, taking a 70% pay cut. She planned on saving UC-Santa Barbara’s gymnastic program.

She left behind her mother and stepfather Marion and Frank Kminek, father Bill Sopper,  siblings Stacy Lupcho, Tammy Segovia, Frank Kminek, Christina Kminek and Christopher Kminek.

Mari-Rae Sopper is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium: Court 5, M3, Row 11, Site 1